This week, we took the St Winefride’s Sorting Cap to Reception class, ready for the children to be ‘sorted’ into their School Houses; St. Mary’s, St. Alkmund’s, St. Chad’s or Holy Cross. Once Mr. Goody had explained the legend to the children, they were gasping in wonder at the sight of the Cap. They were so excited to find out which House they would be ‘sorted’ into!
We placed the mysterious Sorting Cap onto each child’s head. Mr. Goody could sense which House each child would go to by placing his hand above the Cap and ‘reading’ its intentions. He then revealed each child’s House to the whole class.
Once all the children had been ‘sorted’ into their Houses, we took the Cap (with the help of Trixie) back to its resting place in Mrs. Devey’s office, where it will remain until next year……
Written by Ariadne and Heidi
The Legend of the St. Winefride’s Sorting Cap
Legend has it that the Sorting Cap was sewn roughly one hundred years ago and began as a normal cap belonging to a boy called Tristan, who became House Captain of St. Mary’s.
When Tristan, along with the other House Captains, wondered how the School would continue to sort the students when the four left St .Winefride’s, Tristan pulled his hat from his head and, along with the other founders, enchanted it with their combined intelligence and love for the School. All four House Captains wanted to ensure that students would be sorted into their Houses, who would be selected according to each House’s particular preferences in students.
The Sorting Cap is able to sort and divide the students into the St. Winefride’s Houses, and has done so for a hundred years, passed down to each new Headmaster or Headmistress of the school. When not in use, it is placed on a shelf in the current Headmaster’s or Headmistress’s office.
